


Reprimand

by Dark_Puck



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-10
Updated: 2011-10-10
Packaged: 2017-10-24 11:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/263216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Puck/pseuds/Dark_Puck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hyo calls Jae to task for his treatment of Huan after the Retaking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reprimand

When Jae arrived in Hyo-sir's office under Lake Laogai, the Dai Li commander was looking over some papers. He ignored the young captain's presence for a time, then, when Jae started to fidget, suddenly looked up. He did not look happy.

"Captain," he said. "You are either the cruellest, or the most thoughtless, selfish man I have ever had the misfortune of knowing."

Jae blinked, confused and angry. " _What_?"

Hyo-sir's fingers drummed against his desk as they only did when he was _very_ unhappy. "Are you aware of your sex toy's current location?"

The older man knew perfectly well what Sang Min was to Jae, and wouldn't insult the other agent by calling him a toy. Who could he possibly-- _Huan_? His eyes narrowed. "Huan isn't a toy," he snapped.

One of Hyo-sir's eyebrow went up. "Oh?" He drawled the word, and Jae flushed angrily. "That wasn't the impression I got."

"How the hell did you know about that?" Jae demanded.

"You haven't answered my question," the commander pointed out instead.

"How should I know where he is?" Jae responded. "He's always wandering off to dance."

"For a week? Without checking in?" Hyo-sir's question seemed mild, but his expression was anything but.

Jae had nothing to say to that without admitting he was wrong. Sulkiness soon gave way to worry, however -- it _had_ been a week since he'd seen the Fire boy, and the last time had been the morning Sang Min had returned. Huan must have slipped out while he'd been welcoming his lover home.

Hyo-sir let the silence stretch for awhile, then said, "Well? Is he a toy or a person, Jae?"

"A person," Jae snapped.

"Then why did you treat him like a toy?" demanded Hyo-sir.

"I didn't--"

Hyo slapped his hands against the stone desk to cut him off. Jae jumped at the sound and reached for the earth around him. No attack came, and slowly the captain relaxed. He maintained his hold on the earth.

Hyo's voice was low, angrier than Jae had ever heard him. "You found a boy -- a _fifteen-year-old boy_. You began an affair with him while your lover was away. As soon as your lover came back, you cast the boy aside without second thought." Stormy grey eyes bored into Jae's. "It has been a _week_ since we've returned, and you couldn't find it in yourself to even once wonder where he was?"

Every word the commander spoke was a blow to the gut, made all the worse by memories of Huan cutting through thoughts of Sang Min. The boy had been loving and affectionate, completely blown away by how _different_ Jae was.

( _A burn shaped like a hand covered Huan's right hip. Rage filled Jae at the way the boy had been treated, but Huan only kissed him and murmured, "Fire men don't control themselves for whores."_ )

( _Huan was making a credible effort to hide his growing feelings for him. He didn't know that his eyes shone when he looked at Jae, or that his entire face lit up when Jae returned home. Confused by the boy's secrecy, Jae pretended he hadn't noticed._ )

( _They lay together on Jae's bed, Huan tucked underneath his arm with a tired, satisfied smile on his face. Jae reached over to toy with his lover's dark hair, and smiled when Huan closed his eyes in pleasure. "You tire so quickly," he teased._

 _One amber eye opened, and the boy shrugged lazily. "You don't keep going when I do," he pointed out. He nipped Jae's shoulder before adding, "So I recover faster." His eyes glittered with too many emotions for Jae to name. "And I'm willing to make a lot more effort for someone who doesn't treat me like a whore."_

 _Jae kissed the boy senseless._ )

Jae felt sick.

Huan had always been honest with him, and hadn't minded his secrets. He didn't deserve to be tossed aside and forgotten.

Jae had to find him.

Hyo-sir was still watching him, and he nodded slowly. "Now you understand," he said.

Comprehension slapped Jae like a brick. "You know where he is."

"I do," the Commander replied. "Kyung found him and brought him to me."

Anger flashed through Jae. How _dare_ he! "Was there a point to this, Commander?" he demanded.

"Yes, Captain, there was," Hyo-sir said evenly. "You took up with Huan. You moved him in with you. You had a responsibility to the boy that you completely ignored as soon as Sang Min returned. You have a bad habit of treating people like objects, and that needs to stop."

Jae had a very strong urge to beat the Commander sensless. Memory stopped him, memory of what had happened the last time Hyo-sir had been pushed.

( _"If you like, you could..._ forget _everything you've seen here."_

 _Hyo-sir moved like lightning, slamming Xin Wan into the wall. The mindbender's feet dangled off the floor; Hyo's right hand pinned him up by his neck._ )

And Hyo-sir had still been recovering from his part in the Siege.

Jae remained silent.

After a few moments, the Commander said, "Huan is staying in my home for the moment. You're dismissed, Captain."

An abbreviated bow, and Jae stormed out.

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Bex for helping me keep Jae in-character. Also for smacking me with the editor stick when I drifted into the passive voice. Jae belongs to her; Hyo and Huan are mine.


End file.
